PLOT: Ray Milland plays Jarvis Goodland, who has hatched a plan with his nephew Tony to get rich. Tony was left a trust fund, which can only be 'broken' under certain circumstances, such as to pay a ransom on Tony's life. Jarvis and Tony agree to split the money and Tony goes into hiding while a fake kidnapping is arranged. Columbo shows up along with over-eager Sergeant Wilson, a man who has all the latest Police equipment and techniques, but lacks Columbo's intuition. Although he is polite to his superior, the smartly dressed forthright Wilson looks down on Columbo's shabby appearance and outdated methods. The Goodlands' plan works, and the fund is broken. Jarvis agrees to drive to a remote spot and deliver the ransom. Tony, who is dressed in a balaclava, pretends to be the kidnapper and runs down the hill and takes the money. Then they meet up, but as Tony prepares to take his share of the money, Jarvis reveals the next stage of the plan. He pulls out a gun and shoots Tony and keeps all the money himself. Jarvis frames Goodland's wife Cathy and Sergeant Wilson falls for his tale hook line and sinker. When Wilson finds the murder weapon in Mrs. Goodland's house he is sure he has the killer. However, Columbo knows better. He also has his old friend lady luck on his side. Thanks to an old police report, which stated that Jarvis shot a bullet at intruders into his greenhouse some years earlier, Columbo has an idea that the bullet may still be in the greenhouse somewhere. He manages to find the bullet and this proves that Jarvis planted the gun in Mrs. Goodland's apartment. Sergeant Wilson is left looking rather foolish, though Columbo does not gloat.
VERDICT:
Milland's performance is decent enough and the episode is above average, though the way Columbo catches Goodland is very unsatisfactory. Firstly, from the very start the way he concentrates on the report of the intruder from years earlier is just not believable. He even mentions it before Tony has been murdered! Columbo has good instincts but he'd have to be psychic to see any significance from that. And to find the bullet still lodged in the greenhouse was an even bigger long shot. Also, Sergeant Wilson's presence in the episode is unnecessary. We know Columbo is an unconventional cop whose methods work, and do not need a man who is the exact opposite of him (Wilson) to highlight the fact.
Written by Mark Wilson
(C) Copyright Wilson/Young Enterprises 2006.
CAST:
Jarvis Goodland........Ray Milland
Sergeant John J Wilson...Bob Dishy
Tony Goodland.....Bradford Dillman
Cathy Goodland........Sandra Smith
Driver................Milton Frome
Grover...............Robert Karnes
Gloria West..........Arlene Martel
